


Chiefs

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-01
Updated: 2013-03-01
Packaged: 2017-12-03 22:54:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of the day they lived and breathed the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Behavioral Analysis Unit.  Being on the same team made it easier to go out there and fight the forces against them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chiefs

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 8 x 16, CARBON COPY!!!

“Ma'am?” Hotch knocked on the door before walking into Erin’s office.

“Come in Agent Hotchner. Is everyone safe?”

“Yes ma'am. The Unsub was not apprehended and at this time isn’t on our radar.”

“He just left a dead girl and picture boards in a Pittsburgh warehouse?”

“That’s it.” Hotch sat down across from the Section Chief. “Agent Morgan began to suspect it was a trap and he was right. Luckily it wasn’t a deadly one.”

“We might not be that lucky the next time.”

“I pray you're wrong ma'am.”

“So do I. What’s that?”

“The preliminary files for Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.” Hotch handed them to her.

“Donnie Bidwell is surely a name I never thought I’d hear again.” Erin shook her head. “And we’re sure that he's not The Replicator?” she thumbed through the file.

“He boasted about the murder of the nurses. He lawyered up as soon as we mentioned the other ones. He doesn’t fit the profile; not that the profile is complete.”

“Do you mean that he doesn’t fit the profile of a murderer or the particular murderer we’re looking for? He surely had a vendetta against the BAU.”

“He would be standing in a long line. Bidwell didn’t come up with this by himself, he's not that cunning. He stewed for 15 years without a peep.”

“You said the divorce from his wife 5 months ago was the trigger. Do you not believe that now?”

“The one thing I believe absolutely as I sit across from you ma'am is that this person won't be easy to profile. We've worked on too many cases with too many personalities. And look at Bidwell, which was a case that Jason worked on. Jason is no longer with the Bureau. The replication of previous cases with varying victimology doesn’t truly allow us to see the killer’s path or intent.”

“He wants you dead.” Erin said.

“But it’s not indiscriminate.” Hotch said. “The BAU has close to 60 agents but he's chosen to focus on one specific team. That takes a lot of effort. Also, Alex and to a lesser degree Penelope are being targeted. That doesn't make much sense if this is a vendetta from the past.”

“None of it makes sense to me. I get that he's a crazed serial killer but…”

“I understand ma'am.” Hotch nodded.

“Please just tell me there was something in Pittsburgh to give us some clue into who he is.”

“The warehouse was clean. No fingerprints or forensics were found. We've got Crime Scene Units sweeping it once more but I doubt they’ll find anything. Ma’am how did the meeting go?”

“You're still on the case and I still have a job…for the moment.” Erin replied.

She said it in that tone. Hotch knew that other questions weren't an option. He wished he could’ve been a fly on the wall when Erin Strauss put her job, and her life, on the line for the team and the entire BAU. They'd all walked a long, thorny road to the place where they now stood. 

Hotch didn’t often use words and Erin never did. He had her back and she had his. It wasn’t always going to be the way she envisioned and sometimes Hotch would have to play politics. There was a push and pull but it was better for everyone if they did one or the other at the same time. 

They'd moved on from the animosity and antagonism…both had hit rock bottom in recent years. At the end of the day they lived and breathed the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Being on the same team made it easier to go out there and fight the forces against them. If the BAU was in danger so was Erin Strauss.

“A protective detail has been placed at your residence Ma'am. It’s for precaution and was approved by The Director.”

“I know.” Erin nodded. “The key to finding this person is to rip Bidwell’s life apart. I'm not a profiler, but they had to have some kind of bond in order for him to convince Bidwell to kill. At least Bidwell believed they did. If he could convince him to also kill himself then the hold has to be strong.”

“Penelope is going through his life with a fine-toothed comb. We’re leaving no stone unturned. It’s going to take time.”

“Pay close attention to anyone he shared a jail cell with. I remember the first case Gideon worked after his leave of absence; the Extreme Aggressor case. The beta Unsub had been protected in jail by the alpha. I know that Bidwell was only in jail for a month or so but when you're in fear for your life and someone offers to protect you…”

“Yes ma'am.” Hotch nodded. “That’s an excellent deduction. You wouldn’t be a bad profiler.”

“Don’t placate me, Aaron. I'm sure you'd already thought of it.”

Actually Hotch hadn't said anything to Penelope about jail bunk buddies. Surely the tech analyst would find them on her journey through. Everyone that Donnie Bidwell ever met would be scrutinized.

“You need to go home and get some rest.” Erin closed the case file and put it on top of all the others. “Tomorrow is another day, another case, and possibly another city. It might seem as if I'm asking a lot but I'm sure he's still watching. Don’t let him see that you're shaken.”

“Yes Ma'am.” Hotch stood up. “Have a good night.”

“You as well. Be safe…”

“Excuse me,” Rossi walked into the office without knocking. “Oh I didn’t know you were here, Aaron.”

“I was just leaving.” Hotch started toward the door. “Goodnight Dave.”

“Goodnight. Agent Anderson said you needed to see me.”

“Please close the door, Agent Rossi.”

Nodding, the veteran FBI agent did as she asked.

“Have a seat.” Erin motioned toward the guest chair. He’d sat there on many other occasions.

Dave sat down and gave the awkward silence a chance to pass. Erin sighed, pushing her chair out some and crossed her legs.

“You are a son of a bitch.” She said.

“They were going to pull us off the case.”

“It’s not your job to fight the battle.”

“It’s our job, Erin. We’re in this together.”

“And I put on my armor and went to war, David. I do it everyday but you still argue. Do you do it so they won't think you're soft? OK you’ve got giant brass balls Rossi…it’s been acknowledged. You can stop being a douchebag now.”

Rossi gave a small nod but said nothing else. He just couldn’t help it sometimes. When she went into full Strauss mode that part of him came out. It was the Rossi that came out of the corner swinging. Maybe there was a small part of him that didn’t want to appear soft. 

Despite the tentative peace accord in place, his teammates weren't welcoming Strauss into the fold with open arms. With the recent addition of Alex Blake, it was altogether possible that some old battle lines were being redrawn. Dave hated being in the middle even if the truth was that he put himself there sometimes. Sighing, he leaned forward in the chair and put his hand over hers. Erin looked up at him; he could see the love and frustration in her eyes.

“I love you.” he mouthed the words.

Erin didn't reply. She did love him and Dave knew that. She wasn’t in the mood to be the bigger person right now. It always seemed as if she took the high road in their personal relationship. They both agreed that they had jobs to do and would always do their best to keep it separate from their personal lives. When Rossi constantly felt the need to undercut Strauss there was no way that it wouldn’t bleed over.

“I can take you home.” Dave said, his hand still over hers.

“This person knows where you live, David; where we live. He knows where Aaron’s son goes to school, where Alex buys her coffee, and where Penelope orders her takeout. He could’ve been watching us for years and just waiting for the right time. None of us are safe.”

“You're always safe with me.”

“I don’t want promises. I want The Replicator caught.”

“Then we’re on the same page.” Dave said. “He tripped up in Philly…he’ll trip up again. They always do. As his confidence and bravado grows it becomes inevitable. I don’t necessarily think that the destruction of the group through our deaths is his endgame.”

“Dazzle me with your thoughts, Agent Rossi.”

“I can tell you the story in bed. I promise it'll be better there.”

“I have to stay here.” Erin said. “I need to know these files inside out. There’s a lunch meeting the day after tomorrow where I have to justify keeping this team on their own case.”

“I thought you already did that.”

“I did, when we believed the Unsub would be apprehended in Pittsburgh. As it stands it’s an open and active case. This has shades of Frank, Foyet, and Doyle all over it.” Erin shook her head. “We could all be in the bread line when it’s over.”

“What would you do,” Dave asked. “If you weren't doing this?”

“I think I missed the window of opportunity to focus solely on my modeling career.”

Dave smirked, running his finger over her knuckles. 

“Its lousy bedtime reading but you can bring those files home. It’s been a long few days, Erin. You need to put on something comfortable, get out of these harsh lights, and pull your hair back. You can't do that here.”

“If I do that I’ll be asleep in 15 minutes. It’s not a good idea. I can at least take my shoes off here. I can also turn off the overhead lights and use the lamps.”

“Agent Rossi is talking to Mrs. Rossi now. You need some rest. Cut me some slack here.”

“I’ll be sure to cut Agent Rossi some slack as soon as he cuts Agent Strauss some.”

“Well I'm not going home without you.” he said.

“Pull up some couch, Rossi. It’s not the most comfortable in the world but it'll do for the next 90 minutes or so.”

“Will you at least come into the bathroom with me?” Dave asked standing up.

“Why?” she couldn’t help the look on her face.

“I’d like to wrap my arms around my wife and kiss her breathless. Do you have any more questions?”

“Yes.” Erin stood and walked around the desk. She reached for his hand, pulling him toward the bathroom. They were the only rooms in the building that most agents believed weren't bugged for audio and video. “What the hell took you so long?”

***


End file.
